Method and apparatus for producing composite motion pictures



Nov. 9 1926.

E. SCHUFFTAN METHODA AND APPARATUS FOR PRoDUcING coMPosITE MoTIoN PICTURES K 1925 3 Sheets-#Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27,

llllllfllllLlllnrHl; i T

Ll"7`g:

T .fL

Nov. 9,1926. 1,606,482

E. scHUFFTAN A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE MOTION PICTURES Tfg l.

Nov. 9 1926. E. SCHUFFTAN METHOD AMD APPARATUS Foa PRODUCIMG coMPosITE MoTIoM PICTURES s sheets-sheet 3 E Filed Feb. 27, i925 ETT/enfui' W @www Patented Nov. 9, 1926.v

UNITED STATES EUGEN SCHFFTAN', OF BEBLIN-WILMERSDORF, GERMANY.

METHOD AND Arrm'rus ron PnoDUcING coMPosI'rE :Morton morenas.

Application illed'lebruary'?, 1925, Serial No.- 12,133, andI in Germany March 1, 1924.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for making composite motion pictures and is an improvement on the method and apparatus described in my Patent No. 1,569,789, dated January 12, 1926.

In the patent I disclosed the miniature reproduction lwhich may represent a model.I a painting. a diapositive or photograph 1ocated behind the mirror whereby the reality or life sized complementary set or scene is adapted to be photographed b reflection' and the miniature was photograp ed, directly through a window in the reflecting surface,

or mirror. However, thepositionof the miniature reproduction isv lmmaterial and lthe reproductlon may be placed at such a position that it may be photographed by reflection while the reality or life sized scene is photographed directly through the scratched out portion of the window in the mirror or reflecting surface. For convenience I have employed the words vset or scene in the' description and which mayrepresent a re ality, or' life sized scene or some such miniature reproduction as a model, a painting, a diapositive or a photograph.

An objectof the invention is the provision of an apparatus for making composite motion pictures in which atransparent member is disposed across the light rays from a plurality of sets or scenes and at an angle to the axis of the camera, and having a reflecting surface associated therewith on that face ofthe transparent member which is opposite the camera and affecting only a portion of said surface whereby complementary portions of both sets or scenes may be simultaneously photographed with the-images interfitted and having their Vadjacent edges blended in a zone of mergence so that no line of demarcation will appear in the composite lmotion picture.

A further object of the'invention is the provision of an apparatus for taking composite motion picturesJ in which a, transparentmember is disposed acrossthe light f rays of a plurality of sets'or scenes and having areflecting surface affecting only a portion of the transparent member to providn a sight window in the transparent member, 1

through which one of the scenes may be directly photographed while another scene is photographed by reflection,l fthe reliecting surface bein-g located in the unsharpzone of r the lightv rays so that the adjacent edges of the images formed in the camera will .be

taneously with the photogra hing of a com-' plemen'tary portion of the ot ier set or scene. A stlll further object of the invention is the provislon of a method of taking comv p'o's'ite motion pictures of a plurality of sets orscenes` and 1n which a reflecting surface associated with a portion of a transparent member to provide a sight window 1s disposed across the light rays of the sets or scenes so that one set or scene may be photographed by reflection while the other set or scene is photographed directly through-the sight window in the transparent member. the size and shape of the sight vwindow being varied simultaneously with the variation of the size and shape of the reflecting surface for varying the size and shape of the 1mages of the sets or scenes formed in the camera.

Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of arrangement'for taking composite motion pictures in which animpeded performance may be hadv at separate places of action over the whole action area or set or scene.

In the accompanying drawings in .which I have illustrated some embodiments of my improvedy view variation means and some ways lfor the practical use thereof:v y'

Fig. 1 is a-slde view of the support for the movable mirror.r

Fig. 2 is a front view of the mirror frame.

Fig. 3 is a section through the frame along line 3 3, Fig: 2. l

F ig. 4 is a section through vtwo relatively movable mirror plates.

Fig. 5 is a front view-of a modified form' of the two mirror plates in a relatively displaced condition thereof, the forward plate ward plate being provided' with a mirror foil part of the plate length only.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the use of masks for blinding the mirrors. v

F iff. 7 is a diagram illustratin the use of l a second separately adjustable mirror.

According to Fig. 1 I arrange on a frame l a support 3 adapted to be locked by means aving a through-sight window, the rear- I of a screw 2 and on which a carriage 4 canv g be shii'ted by lmeans ot a nonillustrated spindle, the carriage 4 carrying the taking apparatus 5 having an objective 6.' The supa spindle engaging a nut 12 of bracket 8 and having at its lower end a handle 11.

l The bracket- Sis at its horizont-al upper surface provided with a dovetailed guide 13' on which a carriage 14 is movable by means of a spindle 15. The spindle 15 is supported in the bracket against lengthwise movement by a suitable bearing 16 and can be. rotated by a handle 17 It engages with a nut 18 which is fixed to the carriage 14 by means of a stud 19. On the carriage -14 and transverse to its path a second carriage 20 is supported by means of the dovetail-guide 21 and can be moved by means of aspindle 22 having a handle 24 and engaging with a nut 23 of 'carriage 20. v

To the carriage 20 is swiveled on a bolt 25 a bracket 26 having a worm gearing .27 which meshes with a worm 28 adapted to be rotated by means of a shaft 29. This shaft 29 is supported in bearings 30 of 4carriage or slide 2O and can be rotated by .a -knob 31,

the bracket being thus adapted to effect a rocking movement around a vertical axis passing through bolt 25. -On the bracket 26 a' frame 34 is supported by dovetail 32 and screws 33, this frame having at its upper ends bearings for screws 36. The screws engage withtheir points 37 -lugs 38 of a frame -39 adapted to receive two mirror plates 40. The frame 39 can be rocked around the screws 36 and is to this end provided with a gear'segment 41 engaging with a worm 42 that is supported by bearings 43 of frame 34 and can berotated by a shaft 44 having a knob 45y at its end.

The two mirror plates are received by channeled guides 46 of frame 39 and are held in snug surface contact by springs 47, the

mirrors be'ng so introduced into the frame 39 that they can be moved therealong and that their reflecting foils 48 are lying on each other. According-to Fig. 4k both plates 40 are rovided with non-foiled through-sight win'ows 49 permitting' a direct viewing of or takin thevs'cenery object or object art arrange opposite the camera, it being cear that upon lengthwise displacement of the two plates 40 within the frame 39 Ior upon moving them relatively to each other, simultaneouslyor not simultaneously with such lengthwise displacement, cthe contour of the through-sight window 49 and thereby the directly and the reflectively taken scenery fields are varied.

In Fig. 5 the two mirror plates 40 are il'- lustrated in a relatively displaced condition, the through-sight window` 49 being in this foil, the left hand edge of which has been the referencenumeral 50. If with the embodiment of Fig. 5 the two mirror plates are in their normal position, that is the mirror foil of the rearward plate 40 behind the window 49 of' the forward plate, both plates are practically constituting one mirror reflecting to both sides. If the backward mirror is moved to the right the window 49 is gradually opened and its size and contour gradually changed. For certain optical reasons I prefer not to draw the contour of the through-sight window 49 and the end 50 of the' mirror foil of the rearward plate 4() in contnuouslines but to give to such lines an irregular or erraticshape. It is further understood that the glass plates 40 should be of such a length, that in no in'- stance an edge of a mirror plate can come within the through-sight window of the other plate upon a variation of the camera view fields, as otherwise optical. errors would be produced.

Frein the foregoing explanation it results that the frame 39 can be locked at 36 around its horizontal axis, that it canbe swung ver--l the frame can also be trarsverselyv shifted by carriage 20. The carriage 14 is used for moving the frame 39 to and from the Camera 5, the screw 10 for lifting `and lowering the bracket 8 and the mirror-supporting fframe 39. By the various mechanism the frame 39 is thus capable of a universal adjustment with relation to the camera and the scenery objects.

In taking composite pictures with the embodiment Figs. 1-5 the two sceneries, the camera, vand the reflecting means are suitably positioned so that the 4camera may take the composite picture by directly viewing' at the exclusion of mirror reliection, a certain part or parts of the one scenery and of thei performances occurring on o1-'in front-of them and bindirectly viewing, by mirror reflection, t e lpimaure-complementing por its perti ns of the 'other scenery and formances, the direct taking being effected through the window 49. In moving the two mirror plates lengthwise within their guide 46 the through-sight window 49 is travelling along the reflecting plane,where by the directly and indirectly viewed play fields are varied, while the pictorial interfitment of the composite scenery ithin the v'taking camera is preserved? Itis further l possible to relatively' move the one mirror plate on the other plate in order to merely effect a variation of the size of the throughsight window` vor of the proportionship of ther directly and indirectly taken scenery t., portions within the composite picture taken, ..or` `to effect such relative movement con:

currently with lthe lengthwise shift of the plates within their supporting frame 39, `as will be readily understood.

lVhile I have in Figs. 1-5 illustrated two true` silver-foiled mirrors facing each other with their reflecting' surfaces I may also use with the sa-me results the so called semitransparent mirrors having a Very finely distributed mirror foil which permits throughsight through the plate but acts as an ordinary mirror when and where provided with a black backing. In using such a semitransparent mirror, as it is for example supposed to be used'in Figs; 6 and 7 I slide into the frame 39 one of such semi-transparent mirrors and a suitably windowed black backing therefor, for example by applying on the rearward plate 40 (Fig. 4) instead of its silver foil 48 a'black coating, leaving a window 49 for the through-sight to the one object. The Isemi-transparent mirror will perfectly reflect at any black backed portion whereas its non-backed portions permit the through-sight to the one object (Fig. 6). The semi-transparent' mirror together with its black backing is thus operating exactly as the two mirror plates 40 shown in Figs. 1 to 5. For varying the play fields the windowed backing may be moved along the stationary remaining semitransparent mirror plates or both the mirror plates and its backing may be simultaneously moved within the guides 39. In order to vary the size of the through-sight window e one may associate the semi-transparent mirror with two relatively movable and suitably windowed backings. All of this is behevedto be entirely clear from the foregoing explanations and to require no particular illustration.

' In Figs. 6 and 7 the use of the afore described universall adustable mirror means is illustrated, 5, 6 being the taking camera, 52 and 53 the respective scenery objects. 40 designating the universally adjustable mirror means permitting variation of the'play fields, 51 being the `f oil or the black backing iespectively of the mirror the support of which corresponding to Figs. 1-3 and being not illustrated in these particular figures. In using semi-transparent mirrors it is preferable, in order to keep ofi'` any objectionable light influences, to interpose between the mirror system 40 and the reflected'object 53 a black mask 54 having a ywindow 55 corresponding as to its outllne to the mirror;

backingl and being so associated with the mirror l40 by any suitable means, that 1t is f moved or the sizeof its window varied in accordance witlr -thevariation of the mirror position and of the size of the mirror through-sight.

With the embodiment according to Fig. 6

the outer portions of object 52am directly taken whereas the object 53 is indirectly taken by the reflection'at 51. It is obvious that in shifting such reflecting portionalong the plate 40 or in varyin its size by any suitable means the direct y and indirectly taken sections of objects 52 and 53 will varyv accordingly.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 7

the semi-transparent4 mirror 40 is provided with a windowed black backing 51 cooperating -with a mask 54l having windows 55 corresponding to the backing portions 51'. This embodiment results in the direct takin of the central portions of object 52 and t e indirect taking of the outer picturecomplementing portions of scenery 53. The

embodiment further differs from that ac A cording to Fig. 6 in that a further deflecting mlrror is interposed between object 52.

and camera 5. Such arrangement will, be

effected-fif the size of the taking studio is,

for example too small as to permit an unimpeded positioning of the respective scenery object. In Fig. 7 this .additional .or

deflecting mirror 56 is shown as rotatable around a vertical axis 67. In actual practice I provide the standard 1 above the camera with an additional downwardly extending .and universally movable mirror supporting .the like and they may further be combined with many of the well known means of producin trick fihns as will be readily understood y those skilled in the cinematographic taking art.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An arrangement for producing composite motion pictures comprising a plurality of sets or scenes, a camera, a transparent member disposed across the path of the light rays fromy the. sets or scenes and having a refiecting surface covering a portion of the transparent member to provide in the trans'- parent member a-sight window throu h whichl one of. the sets or` scenes may ie photographed, the transparent memberand refiecting surface being 4disposed in front of the camera and at .an angle to the axis of the camera so that a portionl of the other set or scene may be photographed by reflection, means for .supporting the re- -fiecting surface in front of the camera and means for causing shifting ofthe supporting means, lthe transparent member, and the reflecting surface transverselyofthe light rays from the first mentioned set or scene which pass through the sight window in the transparent member and also across the light ,complementary image of the other set or@ scene. A 2. An apparatus for vproducing composite motion pictures of a plurality ofk sets or scenes comprising a camera, a transparent member having a reflecting surface covering la portion of the transparent member to provide a sight window through the trans,-

parent member for a direct taking of one of the sets or scenes, said transparent member being located between said last mentioned set or scene and the camera and so positioned across the axis of the camera and relative to the other set or scene and camera that while a portion of the first mentioned set or scene may be photographed through Athe Window in the transparent member, a

complementary portion of /t'he other scene may be photographed by reflection, and a second reflecting .surface movable adjacent the first `mentioned reflecting surface for varying the size and shape of the window and for increasing the reflecting surface at the window.

3. An apparatus for producingeomposite pictures of a plurality of sets or scenes comprising a camera, a transparent member having a reflecting surface covering a portion of the transparent member to provide a sioht window through the transparent member for a direct taking of one of the sets or scenes, said transparent member being located between the last mentioned set or scene and the camera and so positioned across the axis of the camera and relative to the sets or scenes and camera that while va portion of the first mentioned set or scene may be photographed through the window in the' transparent member, a portion of the j other set or scene.may be photographed by reflection, and means movable adjacent the i window for varying the size and shape of scenes comprising a camera, a transparent-- member, a reflectin surface onthe transparent member and aving a portion of thev reflecting surface thereof removed to provide 'a sight window through the transparent member for a direct taking of one of the sets or scenes, said trans arent member being locatedzbetween the ast mentioned set orscene and thecamera and so positioned across the axis of the camera and relative to 'the 'sets or scenes that a `portion of the otherA setl or scene ma be photographed through the window int e transparent member while a complementary portion of the other set or scene may be photographed by reflection, asecond transparent member having a reflecting surface adjacent the first mentioned reflecting .surface and movable relative to the first mentioned transparent member so that the second mentioned re' and the camera and so positioned relative to the camera that the last mentioned set or scene may be photographed directly through the sight window While the other set or scene may be photographed by reflection, a second mirror movably positioned relative to the Window and adapted to vary the .size and shape of the Window and increase the reflecting surface at the window.

6.5An apparatus for producing composite motion pictures of a plurality of sets' or scenes comprising a camera, a transparent member having a reflecting surface covering a portion ofthe transparent member, the uncovered lportion 4of the transparent'member` providing a sight Window through the transparent member for a direct taking of one of the scenes, said transparent member being located between the last mentioned set or scene and the camera and so positioned across the axis of the camera and relative -to the sets or scenes that a portion of the first mentioned set or .scene may be photographed through the Window in the trans-` parent member while a complementary portion of the other set or scene may be photographed by reflection, and a second transparent member having a reflecting surface adjacent the first mentioned transparent member, said transparent 'members being movable relative to each other for varying the sizev and shape of the window' of the first mentioned transparent member and for increasing the reflecting surface at said window.

7. An apparatus for producing composite motion pictures=`-f= a plurality of sets or scenes comprisingfa camera, a transparent member having a reflecting surface cover' lng a portion of the transparent member lto provide a sightwindow for a direct'taking of Aone of the scenes, said transparent mem. ber being located between the last mentioned? set or yne and the camera and so positioned across the axis of the camera and rela# tive to the sets or scenes and camera that a portion ofthe first mentioned set or scene may be photographed through the window in the transparent memberv while a complementary 'portion of the other set orl scene may be photographed byrefiection, a second refiecting surface movable adjacent the ffirst mentioned reflecting surface for varying the size and shape of the window and for increasing the reflecting surface at the window, and means for swingably supporting the transparent member so ythat said transparent member may be moved at an angle to the axis of the camera.

An apparatus for producing composite `motion pictures of 'a plurality of sets or scenes comprising a camera, a transparent member located between one ofthe sets or scenes and the camera and having a reflecting surface covering a portion of the transparent member to provide a sight window through the transparent member for a direct taking of the lastmentioned set or scene, an image of'the other scene being'reflected into vtheicamera, meansl for swinging the transparent member across the, axis of the camera, a second transparent ember having a reflecting surface covering a/portion thereof, said second transparent member. being movable relative to the first mentioned transparent member 'so that the second reflecting' surface will be movable across the face of the sight window of the first mentioned transparent member for varying the size and shape ofthe window and the reflecting surface at the window. A

9. An apparatus 1for producing composite motion pictures of a plurality o`f sets or scenes comprising .a camera, a. transparent member locatech between one ofthe sets or scenes and the camera having a reflecting surface covering a portion of the tranparent member to provide a sight window through the transparent member. for a direct taking -of one of the scenes, means for swinging the transparent member across the axis of the camera, a second transparent member having a. reflectingl surface covering a portion thereof, said second .transparent member being movable relative to thefirst mentioned transparent member -and across the face of the sight window in the first mentioned transparent member for varying the size and v shape ofthe window andwfor increasingathe reflecting. surface at the window, said second mentioned transparent member being carried by .the swinging means for the first transparent member.

10. The art of making composite motion pictures of a set or scene anda second set or scene which comprises arranging a light transmitting'member having a reflecting surface thereon between the firstv set or scene Vand -a camera, removing a portion of the member, forming an image of the second 'set or scene in the camera byreflection, Varying the area ofthe reflecting surface while varying the size and shape of the images of the sets orl scenes, and photographing the .images of the sets or scenes.

ll. The art of making composite motion pictures of a set or scene and a complementary set or scene which comprises arranging a light transmitting member between theA first set or scene and a camera, masking a portion of the light transmitting member and at the same time providing a reflecting surface on the masked portion of the light transmitting member, the unmasked portion of the light transmitting member forming a sight' window so that the first set or scene may be directly photographed through the sight window-forming a portion of an image of the first set or scene' in the camera through. the light transmitting member,l and reflecting a complementary portion of an image of the complementary set or scene in the camera, increas- .ing the reflecting surface at the sight window While varying the size and shape of the first mentioned image and the size and shape of the second mentioned image, and photographing the images of the sets or scenes.

12. The art ofl making composite motion pictures of a set or scene and a second set or scene, which comprises arranging a light transmitting member between a camera and the first set or scene, masking With a reflecting surface on the transparent member a portion of the first set or scene, forming in the camera an image of the unmasked portion of the first set or scene directly through the light transmitting member, reflecting an image of a portion of the Second set or scene in the camera, blending in a zone of mergence the adjacent edges of the images into each other, arranging a second refiecting surface' in juxtaposition with the light transmitting member, varying the size and shape of the image of the second mentioned set or 1 scene while varying the size and shape of the image of the rst mentioned set or scene with the second refiecting surface, then photographing the images of the sets or scenes.

13. An arrangement for producing composite motion pictures comprising a plurality of sets or scenes, a camera, a transparent member disposed across the light raysfrom the sets or scenes having a refiecting surface covering a portion ofthe transparent mem-l ber, the portion of the transparent member which is uncovered providing a sight Win-I dow through whichone of the sets or scenes may be photographed, the transparent member and reflecting surface being disposed in front of the camera and at an angle to the axis of the camera so Ythat a complementary portion of the other set or scene may be 13o photographed by refiection, means for supporting the transparent member with the refiecting surface in front of the camera7 said transparent member being slidable in a pilurality of different directions in the supporting means and across the axis of the camera so that the sight Window Will also be shiftable transversely of the light rays from the sets or scenes for photographing other portions of the first set or scene through the sight window 'and simultaneously with the reflected complementary image of the other set or scene.

14. An arrangement for `producing composite motion pictures comprising a plurality of sets orscenes, a camera, a transparent member disposed in front of the camera and across the light rays from the sets or scenes, a mask. associated with a portion of the transparent member and providing fora Window in the transparent member through which one of the sets 0r scenes may be photographed, and also for a reflecting surface, the transparent member and reflecting -surface being positioned at an angle to the axis of the camera so that'the other tor scene may be photographed by refiection, means for supporting the mask, said mask being slidably mounted and movable in a plural- 30 ity of different directions in the supporting means and across the axis of the camera for not only varying the position of the reflecting surface but also for varying the position of the window so that various portions of the first mentioned set or scene may be photographed through the window and simultaneously with acomplementary portion of the other set or scene.-

15. An arrangement for producing composite motion pictures comprising a plurality of sets or scenes, a cameral` a transparent member disposed in front of the camera and across-the light rays ofthe sets or scenes, a mask associated with a portion of the transparent member and providing for a window signature.

EUGEN SCHFFTAN. 

